Carmelo Anthony Says He Will Be More of Team Player This Year

Either you are wondering why it took him nine years to recognize he needed to be a team player or he is acknowledging finally that you can’t always be the main focus if you want to win as a team.

For the Knicks and their fans they better hope it is the latter. Here is what Melo had to say courtesy of Pro Basketball Talk.

“For me personally, I’m in my 10th year,’’ Anthony said. “Everyone pretty much knows I can score the basketball. But for me to challenge myself, instill the trust into my teammates to give them that confidence when they do shoot the ball, to have that confidence that they can make it happen as well.

“I’m done trying to score 35, 40 points to win the basketball game. I don’t want that role anymore. I can do it. That’s what I do. But in order for this team to be successful, for guys we have right now, we need a more well-rounded team. If I have to sacrifice on the offensive end, I’m willing to do it. It’s easy for me to sit here and say it. But this year it’s going to be locking in and doing it as the leader of this team.’’

Melo has said similar things before and then pouted when he wasn’t getting the ball enough, so we will see. This is a show and prove league, so his words don’t mean much.